Sunflower murder convicts to know their fate next year
Defence needs to work on mitigation
In less than two months, Coligny teenager Matlhomola Mosweu would have celebrated his 18th birthday.
His parents yesterday said sending the two men who killed him to jail would have been a nice birthday present for Matlhomola on December 8.
On Wednesday, Phillip Schutte and Pieter Doorewaard were found guilty of murdering the then 16-yearold boy for stealing sunflower heads in April last year.
They were also found guilty of kidnapping, intimidation, theft and pointing a firearm.
The two were due to be sentenced yesterday, but their legal representatives requested that the court give them more time to prepare for mitigation of sentence.
Judge Ronald Hendricks postponed the case to January 28 to allow the defence to prepare for mitigation.
The two would remain behind bars after the court revoked their R5 000 bail each after the guilty verdict on Wednesday.
Outside court, Matlhomola’s parents Mmankhibidi Mosweu and Saki Dingake said they woke up early yesterday and prayed that the court would send the two to prison for the rest of their lives.
After the postponement was granted, Matlhomola’s parents smiled. “I am fine as long as they are in custody, the date will come. I was expecting to console myself with whatever punishment the court was going to give them, but I will wait,” said his father Dingake.
Dingake said he would like to see the pair go to jail for about 50 years. “I miss my child but I will never see him again, 50 years imprisonment for each of them will be appropriate,” he said.
Mosweu said: “I really wanted to know how long the two will be sent to jail so that I can rejoice when my son’s birthday comes.”
The sunflower field where the teen was killed at Rietvlei farm has not been ploughed this season. “We pass there everyday ... that empty space is a painful reminder that my son’s life ended there,” she said.
Meanwhile, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Tembela Mbadu said they were happy that they had fulfilled their duty.
“There was nothing much we could do [about the postponement] because it is also within the rights of the defence to prepare for their mitigation of sentence.
“We are also happy that the court granted this postponement so that when the matter is finalised there will be no complaints that their rights were not considered,” she said.
Shakes Botse, a community member who had been supporting the family since the incident, said he wished for a sentence that would remind white people who are still mistreating blacks that they (blacks) are also human beings.
“I am hoping for a harsh sentence that will send a clear message to racists in the North West that the life of a black person is not cheap,” said Botse yesterday.